Electrical connector



March 1939- H. w. CHAPLIN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed March 28, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheep l March 28, 1939. H N 2,151,897

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed March 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In van [or Patented Mar. 28,1939

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE assignor of forty per and sixty per cent to gantown, W. Va.

cent to Richard E. Davis Samuel A. Phillips, Mor- Application March 28, 1935, Serial No. 13,541

11 Claims.

My invention relates generally to means for connecting electrical conductors, and particularly to a quick-separable connector especially adapted for use with, although not restricted to,

domestic appliances and current outlets, and an important object of my invention is to provide a separable connector of the character indicated which is composed of a receptor element which may be in the form of such conventional arrangements as floor, wall, ceiling, or other outlets and receptacles, and a plug element which may be in the form of a terminal of a connector cord or in the form of a bulb socket and the like.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a connector of the character indicated which is composed of a plug element which may be entered and engaged with the receptor element without requiring initial centering and aligning of the plug element with the receptor element, but which is self-centering and selfaligning. I

' Another important object of my invention is to provide means in a connector of the character indicated forinterengaging the plug element and the receptor element in such a way that the plug element and the receptor element are sufliciently strongly engaged to preserve perfect electrical contact therein in all ordinary circumstances, but which is arranged to instantaneously separate and break the electrical contact when an extraordinary pull or other lateral strain is exerted upon either element, so as to prevent breakage of either element or of the cord or appliance which may be mounted thereon.

Another important object of my invention is to provide in an organization of thetype described above means for producing an early'contact of the engageable electrical elements in the .plug element and in the receptor element as the same are brought together to be connected.

Another important object of my invention is to provide in an organization of the character indicated above means for interengaging and holding the plug element and the receptor element, which means is positively guarded against I ance attached to the plug element, but which instantly releases when the pull is exerted instead directly upon a portion of the plug element.

Another important object of my invention is to provide in an organization of the type recited 5 above positive isolation of the various contacts so that said contacts cannot be bridged or inadvertently touched by any ordinary manipulation of either the plug element or the receptor element during the handling thereof whether connected or unconnected.

Other important objects of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown preferred embodiments of my invention.

In the drawings: 7

Figure 1 is an elevational view of an embodiment of the invention showing the main parts thereof in longitudinally extended unconnected 20 relation.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the cap.

Figure 3 is a. bottom plan view of the collar shown below the cap in Figure 1. I

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the receptor ele- 25 ment. K I

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the receptor element arranged with connector blades, the blade assembly being shown separated from the body of the plug receptor.

Figure 6 is a side elevational partly broken away view of another form of the receptor element showing the same provided with a bottom contact and a threaded shell for engagement in a threaded socket and devoid of contact blades. 35

Figure '7 is an end or edge elevational view of an adaptation of the receptor element in a wall or .base receptacle.

Figure 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the upper part of an adaptation of the structure shown in Figure 1 wherein the cap is provided with a bulb socket instead of a connection for an appliance cord or the like.

Figure 9 is a 'bottom plan view of the plug element.

Figure 10 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through the structure shown in Figure 1 assembled.

Figure 11 is a top plan view of the structure shown in the lower part Of Figure Figure 12 is a perspective view of one of the contacts in the structure shown in the lower part of Figure 5. I

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the remainr ing contact of the structure shown in the lower part of Figure 5.

Figure 14 is an elevational sectional view showing a variation of the cap shown in Figure 1, the said variation being threadably connected instead of connected by a bayonet and slot arrangement as obtains in the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designates the plug element of the present embodiment of the invention, and the numeral 6 generally designates the receptor element thereof.

The plug element comprises the cap I which consists of the tubular neck 8 through which the conduit 9 carrying the conductors passes and the enlarged lower portion having the circular wall In which is provided at diametrically opposite points with bayonets II and I2 which are arranged to engage the bayonet slots I3 and I4 which are located in the upper cylindrical part I5 of the body I6 whereby the cap I and the body I6 are rigidly connected together in a readily separable manner.

The cap 1 seats down in a conforming circular recess I1 in the top of the collar which is generally designated I8 and upon the upper side of a helical spring I9 which, when the cap and the body I6 are connected operates to draw the body I6 into the collar I8 by its action upon the underside of the cap I.

The collar I8 has the upper cylindrical part 26 from the lower end of which depends the outwardly flaring bell portion 2I and the downwardly and outwardly sloping undersurfaces 22 of the bell portion are provided at equally circumferentially spaced distances with slots 23 which are rounded so as to present a bearing point approximately indicated by the numeral 24 on a point of the top of the arms 25 which is located substantially inwardly of the radially outward ends of the arms for, a purpose to be indicated below.

The comparatively straight beveled portion of the underside of the bell which is generally desig- 4 I6 above which rises the uniformly cylindrical portion I5 already alluded to. Binding posts 28 located in recesses in the portion I5 at diametrically opposite points connect the conductors in the conduit 9 to the contact ring 29 and the contact head 30 of the body I6.

An expansible and contractible broken ring 3| is mounted in a receiving groove 32 in the lower part of the cylindrical portion I5 and forms the pivot for the three equally circumferentially spaced arms 25, suitable recesses 32 being formed adjacent the radially inward end of these arms to permit the same to work freely and comparatively loosely on the ring 3I. The collar prevents contact by outside objects with the arms.

Each arm comprises an elongated portion which extends laterally outwardly of and below the lower end of the beveled surface 21 as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 10 and at the lower end thereof the arm has a right angularly arranged hook 33 which is to engage a portion of the receptor element to be described. The numeral 34, in Figure 10, designates a connector strip extending from the contact ring 29 to the appropriate binding post 28, while a conductive rod 35 extends from the contact head 30 to the remaining binding post 28.

The contact ring 23 is set into a receivin groove in the lower end of the body I6 and within this ring the body I6 has a depending reduced portion 36 to the lower end of which is abutted the contact head 30.

The plug element of the present embodiment is assembled by bringing the body I6 up into the collar I8 and then bringing the cap I into the surface 26 of the bell portion of the cap rests on the correspondingly beveled surface 21 of the body I6 and the indicated point in the bottom of the slots 23 rests on a radially inward point of the corresponding arms 25.

In the cap arrangement shown in Figure 14 the cap is provided with interior screw-threads 31 instead of the bayonets and the upper part of the cylindrical portion I5 of the body I6 is exteriorly threaded as indicated at 38 instead of being provided with bayonet slots. Otherwise the construction is identical to that described in connection with Figure 1.

With respect to the cap arrangement shown in Figure 8, the binding posts 28 are provided with suitable extensions 39 and 40, the first connecting with the threaded ferrule 4| and the second to be engaged by the center contact 42 of the bulb 43 or the like which is seated in the upper end of the cap 1b which is suitably enlarged for the purposefbut is otherwise unchanged from the forms of the cap illustrated in Figures 1 and 14. It is obvious that some other electrical element other than the bulb 43 may be engaged with/the socket provided by the cap lb and that a bladed connection might be provided for in such a cap instead of the socket device.

The receptor element which is generally designated 6 comprises the socket element 50 which is provided on its upper end with a double beveled shoulder 5| presenting the upper angulated surface 52 and the lower angulated surface 53, the angulation of the lower surface 53 corresponding with the angulation of the hooks 33 on the arms 25, and the angulation of the upper surface 52 corresponding to the angulation of the plain surface 22 on the underside of the bell of the collar I8.

The interior of the body 50 is conically hollowed out as indicated at 54 so that the walls thereof correspond in angulation to the large lower beveled surface 55 of the body I6. Centrally the body 50 is provided with a bore 56 which extends through the lower end thereof as indicated in Figure In to provide proper positioning of the contact head 30. A circular groove 51 at the bottom of the angulated wall 54 in the interior of the body 50 surrounds the bore 56 and provides free positioning of the lower end of the contact ring 29 when the plug element and the receptor element are engaged as they are shown in Figure 10.

The contact head 36, in the position of the element shown in Figure 10, seats in an opening 58 in an upwardly angulated bar 59 of the contact which is generally designated 60, the angulated arm being return bent from the outward end of a horizontal arm 6I which is on the upper end of the standard 62 which acts also as a connector blade and has one side crimped as indicated at 63 for superior engagement with the contact element on the base plug or other outlet to which the same may be connected. The usual connector hole 64 is provided in the lower end movable along said male member, latches pivoted at their radially inward ends on the male member and extending laterally therefrom, said latches having laterally directed terminals, an annular portion formed on said female member behind which said terminals engage to hold the male and female members in assembled relation, said sleeve being operatively engaged with said latches to hold said terminals behind said annular portion of the female member, spring means on said male member urging said sleeve in latch operating direction, said annular portion of the female member being beveled to cam said terminals in a laterally outward direction from behind said annular portion when the male and female members are strongly pulled in opposite directions, said female member comprising a receptacle adapted for wall and ceiling mounting.

4. In a plug connector comprising a male member and a female member, a sleeve on and movable along said male member, latches pivoted on the male member and extending laterally therefrom, said latches having laterally directed terminals on their laterally outward ends, an annular portion formed on said female member behind which said terminals engage to hold said male and female members in assembled relation, said sleeve being operatively engaged with said latches to hold said terminals behind said annular portion, spring means on said male member urging said sleeve in latch operating direction, said annular portion being beveledto cam the terminals in a laterally outward direction to disengage them from beh'md said annular portion when the male and female members are strongly pulled in opposite directions, said female member including a threaded ferrule for engaging a threaded receptacle.

5. In a plug connector comprising a male member and a female member, a sleeve on and movable along said male member, latches pivoted at their inner ends on the male member and extending laterally therefrom, said latches having laterally directed terminals on their free ends, an annular shoulder formed on said female member behind which said terminals engage to hold said male and female members in assembled relation, said sleeve being operatively engaged with said latches to hold said terminals and said latches behind said annular shoulder on said female member, spring means on said male member urging said sleeve in latch operating direction, said shoulder on the female member being formed with a beveled surface to cam said terminals in a laterally outward direction and from behind said shoulder, when the male and female members are pulled with sufiicient force in opposite directions to overcome the resistance of said spring means and the frictional engagement of said terminals on said beveled surface, said female member including prongs for engaging a correspondingly slotted receptacle.

6. In a plug connector comprising a male member and a female member, a sleeve on and movable along said male member, latches pivoted at their inner ends on the male member and having laterally directed terminals at their free ends, an annular part formed on said female member behind which said terminals engage to hold the male and female members in assembled relation, said sleeve being operatively engaged with said latches to hold said terminals in engagement with said annular part of said female member, spring means on said male member urging said sleeve in latch operating direction, said annular part of the female member being beveled on the side thereof remote from said sleeve to cam said terminals in a laterally outward direction to disengage said terminals from said annular part, when the male and female members are strongly pulled in opposite directions, said male member having a separable cap, threaded thereon, and retaining said spring means in place.

7. In a plug connector comprising a male member and a female member, a sleeve on and movable along said male member, latches pivoted at their inner ends on the male member and extending laterally therefrom, said latches having laterally directed terminals on their free ends, an annular shoulder means formed on said female member, and behind which said terminals engage to hold the male and female members in assembled relation, said sleeve being operatively engaged with said latches to hold said terminals in engagement behind said shoulder means, spring means on said male member urging said sleeve in latch operating direction, said shoulder means of the female member being formed with a beveled surface adapted to cam the terminals in a laterally outward direction to disengage said terminals from said shoulder means when the male and female members ,are sufficiently strongly pulled in opposite directions to overcome the resistance of said spring means and the frictional engagement of said terminals with said beveled surface, said male member including a separable cap, bayonet and slot means separably connecting said cap to said male member, said cap acting to hold said spring means in place.

8. In a plug connector comprising a male member and a female member, a sleeve on and movable along said male member, latches pivoted at their inner ends on the male member and extending laterally outwardly'therefrom, said latches having laterally directed terminals at their free ends, an annular part formed on said female member behind which said terminals engage to hold the male and female members in assembled relation, said sleeve being operatively engaged with said latches to hold said terminals behind said annular part of said female member, spring means on said male member urging said sleeve in latch operating direction, said annular part of the female member having a beveled surface adapted to camvsaid terminals in a laterally outward direction so as to disengage the terminals from said annular part when the male and female members are stronglypulled in opposite directions, said male member including a separable cap acting to hold said spring means in place, said cap embodying a bulb or connector receiving portion.

9. In a plug connector comprising a male member and a female member, a sleeve on and mov-' able along said male member, latches pivoted on the ale member and extending laterally outwardly therefrom, said latches being formed with laterally directed terminals on their laterally outward ends, an annular shoulder means formed on said female member behind which said terminals engage to hold the male and. female members in assembled relation, said sleeve being operatively engaged with said latches to' hold said terminals behind said shoulder means, spring means on said male member urging said sleeve in latch operating direction, said shoulder means male and female members are sufli ciently strongly pulled in opposite directions to overcome the resistance of said spring means and the frictional engagement of said terminals with said beveledsurface, said sleeve having a flange overlying and protecting the laterally inward portions of said latches.

10, In a plug connector comprising a male member and a female member, a sleeve on and movable along said male member, latches pivoted at their inner ends on said male member and extending laterally outwardly therefrom, said latches having laterally directed terminals at their free ends, an annular shoulder means formed on said female member behind which said terminals engage to hold the male and female members in assembled relation, said sleeve being operatively engaged with said latches to hold said terminals behind said shoulder means, spring means on said male member urging said sleeve in latch operating direction, said shoulder means of the female member being formed with a beveled surface with which said terminals engage, said beveled surface acting to cam said latches in a laterally outward direction so as to disengage the same from said shoulder means when the male and female members are sufliciently strongly pulled in opposite directions to overwithout initially centering and aligning the same.

11. A plug connector comprising a plug portion and a receptacle portion, arms freely pivoted at their inner ends on the exterior of said plug portion and extending laterally outwardly therefrom, said arms having laterally directed hooks on their freeends, an annular part formed on said receptacle portion and extending laterally therefrom and having oppositely beveled top and bottom surfaces, a collar along said plug portion and engageable with said arms, spring means urging said collar in a direction to normally maintain said arms engaged with said top beveled surface with the hooks engaged behind the bottom beveled surface, said plug portion and said receptacle portion being adapted to be separated by the exertion of sufficient force thereon in opposite axial directions so as to overcome the frictional engagement between the hooks and the said bottom beveled surface of. said annular part.

HERSHEL WAYNE CHAPLIN. 

